A New Day Has Come
by elvenarcher516
Summary: Sessmomaru follows the scent of human tears through his territory and finds his brother's wench in danger. At first he finds the show entertaining, but eventually he steps in as her savior. Why though? Rated M for later chapters.
1. Savior

I'm baaaaaaack

Alright, I have decided to re-create this story. Join me in making this a masterpiece!

Summary: Sesshomaru finds Kagome running blindly through his lands, and off of a cliff. He saves her. But why?

Disclaimer: I don't own the IY characters or the songs I use in this fanfic.

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A new day has come

A new day has…

…come

Coffee bean colored eyes opened and stared shakily down at the raging river hundreds of feet below them. A pair of tiny feet dangled dangerously over the edge of a large drop-off.

The figure found her footing and felt her toes slide back onto the rock face she had recently stumbled off of. She would not have found her footing, had there not been an arm there to catch her.

She could barely hear the angry rush of the river below her, as the sound of her own heart beating like the ticking of a clock overpowered all other senses.

I was waiting for so long For a miracle to come

Everyone told me to be strong

Hold on and don't shed a tear

She stared down at the raging water before instinctively moving away from the edge. In doing so, she ended up snuggling into whomever it was that had caught her from falling to her death.

She could feel a strikingly soft fur pelt brushing against her white washed face and her fingers shook as she grasped the hem of her short, forest green skirt.

Through the darkness and good times

I knew I'd make it through

And the world thought I had it all

But I was waiting for you

As she backed up, molten butterscotch colored eyes widened. The muscular figure immediately pulled the girl he held firmly on an outstretched limb closer to him.

He could feel the beating of his heart as it pounded in perfect harmony with hers. He had never been this afraid in his entire life. A new sensation washed over him like a waterfall, freezing the blood in his veins.

He had almost lost her. The white silk, armless sleeve of his Kimono blew lightly in the wind as the twin draped around the girl's slender figure. She couldn't be close enough for his liking. Not now. He was still so frightened…

Hush now

I see a light in the sky

Oh, it's almost blinding me

I can't believe I've been touched by an angel with love

The figure looked down at the girl as she trembled visibly. She was obviously very frightened. She didn't even look up to see who her savior was. Finally, her fear got the better of her, and she fainted into his arm.

He pulled her up into his embrace and turned immediately for the nearest tree. He jumped up the branches as a young child jumps on a trampoline and sat in a high branch, far from the prying eyes of the world.

He traced her facial features with a slender, dangerously sharp clawed finger. Her jaw bone was fine and angular and her face held no remainder of the baby fat many women at her age continued to carry.

He looked her over for injury as quickly as he could manage and inhaled her sweet scent. After a few minutes, he managed to tame the beast inside of him and quell it's apetite for her and soon, found himself back on the ground and facing the West.

Let the rain come down and wash away my tears

Let it fill my soul and drown my fears

Let it shatter the walls for a new, new sun

A new day has... come

He rested her head on his shoulder and his heart skipped a beat as he felt her warm breath upon his neck. The tall figure took off on a curious cloud and disappeared into the distance wondering exactly what this girl was doing to him.

As he flew over countless trees and old villages he could not help but grow tired of the same site everywhere he went. There was nothing new to see here. Nothing ever changed.

He seated himself on the cloud he commanded and gently laid the now sleeping girl on his lap. Her light breathing and steady heartbeat calmed him, and for the remainder of the trip, he continued to watch her; as captivated as a mother with her child.

Where it was dark now there's light

Where there was pain now there's joy

Where there was weakness, I found my strength

All in the eyes of a boy

An hour went by and the girl still did not wake. Finally, the man on a cloud stopped and landed in a gigantic courtyard. There were many trees and plants held within the huge gates.

He stood once more and cradled the girl's sleeping frame in his bulky arm. Her elegance even in sleep impressed him as her mouth hung open ever so slightly with a light string of drool peeking into a dangerous, unwelcome world.

There were guards everywhere, but they did nothing to him besides bow to him and move out of the way. As the gates opened, the tall stranger walked forward, his white garments flowing in the wind with his Mokomoko wrapping tightly around the young girl in his arms.

Hush now

I see a light in the sky

Oh, it's almost blinding me

I can't believe

I've been touched by an angel with love

The tall man had flowing silver hair and long, elegant hands with battle-worn calluses on the pads. He looked flawless in his gleaming white haori with beautiful red designs. His eyes were a molten golden color that held no emotion to those who did not look closely enough.

He had maroon stripes on his cheeks, and a midnight blue crescent moon on his brow. His features were sharp and captivating, frightening to those who would anger one such as this.

The moment one's eyes met his, they were immediately captured in them. It was impossible to find one's way from a place so enthralling.

The man had only one arm, and yet, continued to walk pridefully with the teenager gripped carefully in his arm. He looked down at the girl he held, and his eyes grazed over her lithe features. As he walked, he pondered what had made him want to save her so desperately. Why had he cared if he lost her or not?

When he had smelled the salt of human tears in his land, he had followed the source, frustrated at the audacity of a human to venture into his lands.

When he found her, the girl had been running blindly and had stumbled on a rock. As she had inspected the fresh cut on her arm, he had sensed a lesser demon take interest in the scent of her blood and it began to chase her toward a cliff.

Let the rain come down and wash away my tears

Let it fill my soul and drown my fears

Let it shatter the walls for a new, new sun

Once she had reached the cliff, she had been so frightened she hadn't seen the drop off and had simply hurdled over the edge of the sheer drop.

He had been watching this display, amused for the moment. But the moment he saw her fly off of the rock face, his heart had stopped and squeezed painfully in his chest.

Immediately, he found herself by her side, his vision clouded in red. She was limp in his arms, and the demon lay in a puddle of it's own blood.

He had surprised even himself with the speed and ferocity that he took the demon out with. He hadn't even remembered moving…

A new day has...

Let the rain come down and wash away my tears

Let it fill my soul and drown my fears

Let it shatter the walls for a new, new sun

A door lie in his immediate path as he turned a corner in the labrynth that was his castle. It was a large oak door set in the grey stones of the castle walls. The ancient wood was engraved with a story that told of a giant demon youkai and a beautiful, willful princess.

The man ignored the beautiful artwork and continued to walk briskly into the large and beautifully furnished room. He looked around briefly.

The walls were aged oak with beautifully painted paper covering them. The floors were a deep redwood that complimented the dramatic paintings on the wall.

A large futon lay in the center of the room with midnight blue bedding. He lay her down comfortably on the large, fluffy cover of the bed and watched as she moved slightly in her sleep.

An stunning fireplace stood out in the far corner of the room and accented the lovely wallpaper. An immense painting hung over the fireplace. The large canvas was a portrait of a woman whose beauty far surpassed any other. 'Almost any other.' Thought the tall man as he glimpsed it.

At this thought he shook his head. He didn't know what he was thinking. Embarrassed with himself, he slid the sheets over her slender figure. She needed to rest.

A small, weak smile appeared on her face as she rolled over with, facing the same direction as him.

A new day has... come

He smiled slightly at this sight. It was truly heartwarming. He had wanted to show this girl his true kindness since the first day that they had met. She didn't smell like other humans, and she held incredible strength for one. These were two very important traits to him.

She made a small sighing sound in her sleep that pulled him out of her thoughts. He would show her around tomorrow whenever she woke up. He would show her that he would be good to her, and maybe in time, she would love him.

He got up and walked toward her. Placing his fingers upon her cheek, he found himself surprised that her skin was silkier then even his own. He traced a delicate finger across her cheekbone.

Ohhh, a light

Hush now

I see a light in your eyes

All in the eyes of the boy

He sat in her presence, completely mesmerized by her beauty. Her eyes were closed revealing long, thick black lashes that swept gracefully across her supple cheeks. Her skin was pale, but not in an unhealthy manner.

Her fingers found their way to his hand, and she grasped on tightly as if she would be lost forever if she ever let go. This gave him time to study her more.

Her hands were small with small calluses from shooting a bow and arrow, as well as working every day with that mutt of a brother of his.

She had a pulchritudinous body and her ripe lips were just begging him to lean in and take them. In his eyes, she was the picture of perfection. He stood suddenly, realizing that he was focusing too much on what could never be.

As he turned to leave, she mumbled something in her sleep, and reached out to grasp the dangling sleeve of his Kimono. She would not let go so easily this time. Her grip was that of an infant grasping the closest object within its reach.

He turned and stared at the sight of her, startled. She was perfection in itself. His breath seemed to escape him momentarily and he had to turn his head to remain in control of himself.

Seeing as she was not going to let go any time soon, he leaned down and took a deep whiff of her scent. She smelled like heaven.

Pulling the sheets down, he stepped into the ocean of sheets and pillows and found refuge under the covers next to his sacred, his beloved.

She just didn't know it yet…

I can't believe

I've been touched by an angel with love

I can't believe

I've been touched by an angel with love

Hush now

Hush now

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A/N: Alright. I have made my revisions. I have added almost a page of content to this chapter and have corrected certain things that needed correcting.

Let me know what you think via Review or find me on my home page and send me a note.

I also need a Beta reader-so let me know if you would be interested!

Elvenarcher516


	2. Contemplation

Her eyes opened to greet the day

Here is the revised version of chapter two. Let me know what you think and if there is anything else I need to add.

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Her eyes opened to greet the day, the chocolate colored orbs unfocused as they assessed their surroundings. She seemed so innocent.

As she awoke, he took one last glance at her wrapped snugly in the covers and slipped out of the room, closing the shoji door behind him with a soft _thack_.

He had brought her to his home and put her to rest in a spare room. As he had turned to leave, however, he found himself unable to walk away from her; he was completely mesmerized by her.

She had looked like an angel with the moon sweeping gracefully across her relaxed features. Every moment, he felt less and less sure of himself-of who he was and who he was expected to be.

He watched her, an incredulous expression clear on his normally blank face. He sat at her side, locked into place, unaware of his surroundings, the time of day, anything besides the unconscious and baffling beauty that slept in a silvery cocoon of sheets.

He had never felt this way before. At first he tried to tell himself that it was false. He couldn't feel this way for a human! What was wrong with him?

He glared angrily at the sleeping girl. _No, woman_, he corrected himself. The moment the beast in his head thought these words, he berated it. She was no more than a girl in his eyes.

He watched her, thinking that if he could reveal everything about her, then he could be over his obsession. Well, he wouldn't call it an _obsession_, persay, but he was deffinately interested in this woman's…unusual human traits.

The idea, however, turned out to be untrue. The more he watched her, the more mesmerized he was with her. He could not unravel the mystery of this beautiful woman in his mind.

The moonlight had trailed across her skin creating silver pools that highlighted her beauty in the darkness, outlining her perfect facial features.

He had run a hand across her cheek-a moment of weakness. Almost immediately, she had snuggled closer to his warmth. His eyes widened suddenly and he pulled his hand feverishly back to his chest. She really was a topic of interest. He would admit that much.

As the sun rose over the walls of the castle, he smiled. Not one of his cold and angry smiles, but a true, heartbreakingly stunning smile. It was a warm and sad smile at the same time, reminding himself of the promise he made.

He could never be with someone such as her, even if his beast claimed her as his own already. His eyes betrayed his usually stoic mask as he turned down the hallway to his left, intent on his study.

His eyes looked like molten pools of caramel as he thought ruefully through his mistake of bringing her to his home. His hair shone silvery gold in the sunrise. He was truly a magnificent creature.

He had to wonder, as he sat on his large, plush cushion at a table with a floor that dipped down for easy legroom, if he should break away, just once in his life and explore a different sensation.

Something besides the cold, unending loneliness of his normal routine. He wondered if he should explore these budding feelings he had since he had first met this shining girl at his father's grave.

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A/N: Well, this one got lengthened an entire page and a half and it is still overwhelmingly short. Sorry about that… ;

There's only so much I could have added in without giving away the rest of the story to those who have yet to read it, and even to those of you who have already forgotten how the story progresses.

Please RnR and let me know how this chapter turned out.

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Nekoinukid: YAY!! Thanks XD

PinkSlytherin: Thanks for the review! I'm glad you liked it 3

GurlOfTheNight: Thanks. I'll take constructive criticism if you would like.

Yuki Asao: At that point, when I said "As she backed up, molten butterscotch colored eyes widened." That was not the same pair of eyes, I do not mix colors like an amateur artist. Please do not doubt me.

Kaidaia The Run Away Advent: Thanks. Hope you like this one just as much as the other :D

Sesshomaru's Filly: See? The fun of starting afresh! Now I can close some old plot holes too! Yay!

Mizu the Water Goddess: Man, I have missed your reviews dearly! Thanks so much for reading my fics **again**! You are so sweet! XD

Sailormoonlover: I wonder… :O

Asherah4u: sorry it took so long to update. I actually have the entire thing planned out, completely written. I'm just doing revisions…and, well, it is just taking a really long time… ; sorry.

sayuri-girl: Thanks so much. And here's your answer just above. It's about thirteen chapters long, but I'm probably going to make it a little bit longer than that in the end. Hope you keep reading!


	3. Almost

Hi ya'll

Alright-here we go on with the revised version of chapter three. Hope you enjoy it.

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The sun crept slowly over the tops of the forest trees and poured like a thick soup into the now sun kissed courtyard. A pair of sepia eyes opened to let the light in. a fragile, shaky hand came up to rub the crust away so the girl they were attached to could see.

She felt strangely rested, as though she had been sleeping for days rather than simply hours. She looked around the beautiful room she was in, taking all of the details to memory.

She couldn't remember a time she had ever been in a place as beautiful as this one. There was a carved cabinet that was made out of redwood, and stones carefully covered the wooden walls where there was a comfortable fire lit in the open hearth.

A painting of a woman with long black hair that hung in wild, luxurious tendrils that framed her luscious face hung above the source of warmth, and candles were lit upon the mantle.

Suddenly, the pieces all seemed to fit in this mind-boggling puzzle and confusion hit her like a train; it snapped. A room? She didn't remember falling asleep here, and, as a matter of fact, she didn't remember falling asleep at all. All she remembered was having a fight with Inuyasha…

Finally, the memories all flowed back to her like the ocean's tide. She had fought with him and hit a wall. The straw that broke the camel's back, if she remembered silently, although the fight had been no small matter.

She had run, expecting a chase, but finding nothing but the dead and frightening sound of the empty forest at night. He would not chase her, would not apologize; not this time.

Soon, she had gotten to a dead end, tripping over a tree root. They seemed alive around her, moving almost. They created an impenetrable barrier she could only stare meekly at. She could no longer run from these fears, these horrors.

A rustling in the bushes behind her had tipped her off that she was not alone, and she had risen shakily to her feet, her battered knees and fresh cut throbbed painfully, but she would not wait for the inevitable demise, she would run from it until it caught up.

She was not going to allow herself to die without a fight at least. Turning to her left, she took off as fast as her human legs could carry her.

Soon, she could no longer see, tears blinding her already frighteningly narrow vision. She could feel her feet pounding solid earth one moment and the next, she could feel her foot slip. At that point it was too late. This was to be her fate, then. It was inevitable, after all.

The moment she was sure would be her last, she heard a strange sound behind her that was similar to a footstep in the sand. As she fell, she felt the sheer rock scrape against the skin of her ankle as she watched herself falling in slow motion toward the hungry, gurgling river below.

Prepared to die, now, she closed her eyes, waiting for the whoosh of air that would send her strait to the rock hard surface of the dangerous, inescapable water. That _whoosh_ never came.

She remembered the strong arm that wrapped securely around her abdomen and pulled her flush against a strong, tightly built chest.

She blinked twice, confused as to her luxurious surroundings; the lavishly furnished room. The moment she looked down at the sheets that served as her butterfly's cocoon for the night, she knew exactly where she was.

There was a large crescent moon on the top cover. Midnight blue with glinting silver lining. She was mystified; how did she come to such a dangerous place?

A little demon that was fuzzy and looked like a small dog with entertaining floppy ears and ice blue eyes inched carefully into the room. The demon bowed deeply, to Kagome's complete shock, and introduced himself as Makoto.

He spoke in a low growl that rumbled respectfully through the large room. Motioning towards two large sliding doors on the far right side of the room, he told her one was the entrance to the baths and the other, a closet where she could chose her favorite Kimono.

He then motioned to the sliding door to his left and told her that it led to the outdoor gardens. The door behind him led to the castle hallways.

She was welcome anywhere and should call if she needed his assistance. At that, he bowed and left the same door he entered; the door to the hallways.

Kagome interestedly went to the sliding door over by the large dresser and opened it. She gasped as she saw the large indoor hot spring. It was breathtakingly beautiful and serene.

Black, polished stones covered the floor, molded in place by a lighter colored cement. The steam throughout the room gave it an almost surreal feeling and the hot, cloudy water made her feel as though she was in a scene out of an old movie. It was all too beautiful for words.

A large, oak bucket sat in the corner of the room on top of a stool. The bucket was already filled with steaming hot water, and she surmised it was for her use.

Kagome stepped cautiously into the large room and slid her old, grimy clothes off of her aching body. She folded them as nicely as she could and placed them by the door that led back into her room.

As she made her way over to the single stool and bucket, she found that there was a bit of what looked like soap sitting on a hidden shelf where a single black rock had simply not been placed.

A bowl of fragrant rose petals sat at the side of the spring, she noticed before stepping in. She picked these up and tossed them into the steaming water.

Soon, the whole room smelled like roses and a smile made it's way onto her dirt-clad face. She stepped into the spring and sighed. It felt like being back home in one of the traditional _onsen_.

Kagome sat contentedly in the cloudy water until she felt her fingers pruning. She stepped out of the large spring and looked around, spotting in a corner she had yet to inspect, a pile of silken towels.

Embarrassed, she pulled the top towel carefully off of the pile of others. The fabric was so expensive…was she really supposed to dry herself with it?

Looking around, she found no other explanation. A towel wrapped around her body and one around her tangled hair, she stepped back out into the much cooler bathroom.

Kagome walked lightly over to the second door on the right wall and slid it open, frightened of what she would find. Hanging on racks were countless silk kimonos, each one more pleasing to the eye than the last.

She pulled out a simple blue kimono, trying to be modest. She could not possibly be expected to wear something grander than this. It was unthinkable.

The moment she had chosen her kimono, there was an almost inaudible call in the hallway; her name. Kagome smiled. "Come in." she answered the call, almost uneasily.

Makoto slid the screen door open carefully and a female youkai in human form slid through the open door, bowing respectfully to me. "None of that, now, please. I do not need such formalities. I am no one special!" she stated uneasily, a hint of laughter in her voice.

The youkai raised her eyes slightly and quickly looked back at the floor. "What is your name?" Kagome inquired curiously. "Sayuri." She answered formally. "May I help you don your kimono, Lady Kagome?"

She felt herself blinking…_doki doki_…as she kept her head bowed low, almost at a ninety degree angle at the waist. She sighed. She would never be able to get used to this. Kagome decided she would continue working on her later.

"Please" Kagome responded in no more than an embarrassed whisper.

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After her kimono was, painfully wrapped and re-wrapped around her slender body, Kagome wandered the halls and gardens, trying to get a better perspective on where exactly she was.

She managed to get herself almost completely lost in the beautiful wooden halls and finally found Makoto, who was looking for her.

Kagome smiled kindly to the demon and asked where she could find the master of the castle, and if he could escort her there. The demon bowed and asked her to please follow him in a vibrating baritone. Through endless, mind numbing twists and turns, after roughly five minutes, they arrived at a large sliding door.

Makoto backed away from her quickly and bowed before exiting the scene as fast as his legs could carry him.

The door was made of rice paper painted decoratively with large swirling dogs prancing through an almost consuming mist.

Suddenly, a deep purring voice beckoned her, "Please, come in." Kagome gulped kneeled, practicing what she had seen Sayuri do, and slid the door open before entering with a room with a low bow.

At the sight of the Lord of the Western Lands sitting on a Western looking bed staring her down, she felt her heart rate accelerate and a blush ran over her pale skin.

He was shirtless, which especially caught her off guard. Oddly, she did not feel fright at the moment, rather, exactly the opposite. It felt so scandalous. There were white and blue silk curtains hanging from the ceiling that framed the bed, creating a surreal wall around most of the area.

A hearth also stood in the corner of his room with a large, plush pillow in front of it. A pile of dried wood sat in the corner of the stone fire place, well out of reach of the raging fire.

A tapestry of the same magestic woman took place over the fireplace as in the room she currently inhabited and the walls were the same strong wooden color as much the rest of the castle.

Sesshomaru glanced up at the girl that had just walked into his room. He noticed that she looked around, taking in her surroundings like a sponge with water.

She was obviously intrigued by his castle. Was it possible that she would be equally or even more so intrigued with him? He got off of his bed and smirked as her eyes widened.

He could slightly smell her arousal. She must have just noticed his state of dress and the way his muscles rippled with every movement she made. If nothing else, he would enjoy himself teasing her.

He wandered over to her and reached out a hand, touching her velvety soft cheek he smiled as a shiver ran down her spine. "That kimono suits you, Kagome." The look on her face was officially priceless.

She was staring wide eyed and open mouthed at him. He chuckled softly. This seemed to surprise her even more. He was really getting somewhere with this. Maybe his interest was worth exploring after all.

Kagome was surprised when he had complimented her, but the most surprising thing was when he had chuckled. She had left Inuyasha because of a fight that he would never be able to win. Ironically, the fight had been about Sesshomaru.

Kagome was convinced that Sesshomaru had a good side. Inuyasha had strongly objected to this idea and asked her why she cared in the rudest way he could manage. She had simply told him in a frustrated tone that everyone had a good side… well maybe not Naraku, but everyone else did.

The true reason that she had brought that up was because since the first time she had seen Sesshomaru he had intrigued her; his grace and undeniable beauty. The strength he wielded and his sheer brilliance. Soon he was an obsession-Inuyasha long forgotten.

She had waited for Inuyasha for two and a half years-soon she would be eighteen. She was done waiting. She still loved him, of course. It was simply a different form of love now than it had been before. He was like her brother.

Sesshomaru could see the thoughtfulness in her eyes as she looked at him. He couldn't tell exactly what she was thinking, but he could tell that it was important in some way. He growled inwardly as his inner demon voiced a hope that she was thinking of him, although he could no longer deny his interest in her so stubbornly as he had before.

The moment they had met, he was intrigued by her curious strength. She had fought against a monster like him while there was obviously no hope for her, and had not been killed. She had pulled the Tetsusaiga from the rock while he could not even touch it without burning.

She did not smell fowl as other humans did, either. She smelled of rain, one of the most pure scents on earth. She never seemed to give up on the ones she loved and was obviously willing to risk her life for those people.

She would constantly challenge him, she was not afraid, even now. Just inches from his face…three inches. That snapped them both awake immediately, both startled and almost visibly embarrassed. Both confused as to what had happened.

At the last second, Sesshomaru pulled away. The human kept staring at him. He saw many emotions in her eyes and could smell the confusion, fear, and was that…disappointment? He shook the thought out of his frustrating mind immediately.

Of course she would not be disappointed. She loved his mongrel halfbreed of a brother. The thought peeved him.

Sesshomaru turned away from her quickly to hide the angry blush that colored his porcelain cheeks. "Breakfast will be in twenty minutes. Be there." He turned and left the room hastily, leaving both of them with an uneasy empty space in their hearts.

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Words:

_Onsen:_ A formal Japanese hot spring. They are found throughout Japan and, nowadays are mostly used by the elderly to help back and muscle pain. Most are in the form of man-heated springs that are communal, but some remain natural.

_Doki doki:_ a sound effect used in many manga and anime. This sound effect represents a quick and confused blinking.


	4. Fire

Here's the fourth chapter

This chapter seemed a bit OOC to me when I wrote it at first, I don't think I'm going to change that part. To those of you who have yet to see my notes- **this story is almost fifteen chapters long and completed.** I must correct and update the story, so I removed the completed sign from it. The bold is for those of you who are asking if it is complete or not. Yes it is. Is it complete up? No. I will continue updating this story until it is completely finished and up. Enjoy.

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Kagome took another five minutes to find her way to the dining room, completely lost. In this time, she got to ponder on what had just happened. Walking down the halls, she drew ample attention with a blush that lit up her face one moment, was gone the next, and then was back as quickly as it had left.

She was absolutely sure that had not been an attempt at…k-I-s-s-I-n-g her. She couldn't even think the word in her head without going another shade darker of red.

The one thing she was sure of was that the Lord **hated** humans.

She passed an interestingly decorated door on her way down a deserted hallway and stopped. Was this the dining hall? Only one way to find out. Kagome stepped into the large room and gasped, her earlier thoughts completely wiped from her mind.

The room was more lavish than the rest of the rooms she had seen. There was tatami mats covering the entire length of the floor and the walls were made from the finest stone. This was the first all-stone room she had seen in the castle.

A calming grey-blue coated the walls and designs of green bamboo complimented the breathtaking room. The bed was also a western style bed that took up much of the far left corner of the room. The covers were plush and white and the bed was piled with hundreds of detailed pillows.

This was definitely not the dining room. It was far too large and enchanting. Kagome knew immediately that she was late. Frantically, she swirled around and fled out of the enchanting room, immediately forgetting where it was located in relation to her room.

Kagome turned a dimly lit corner of the hall way and almost ran face-first into the servant that had taken her around before, Makoto. She asked him to escort her to the dining room. The little creature bowed and turned.

There was no way that she would ever find her way around. This castle was far too confusing for her liking.

After what felt like hours, Kagome finally made her way into the dining room through another set of sliding doors. Completely differing from the last room she visited, this room was spacious and extremely conservative. Tatami mats also lined this floor and a long, low oak table sat regally in the middle of the room.

The table was set with beautiful precision and importance. Every single item on the table had a precise and important meaning. The fruit was beautiful. Japanese plums, Japanese oranges. So many items that made her mouth water even in the future. _I could get used to this._

Kagome found one of the cushions that was nearest the Lord of the West at the head of the large table and sat herself on his right, as he motioned her to do. She could see in his eyes that he was frustrated at her tardiness, but she smiled her best ignorant smile and tried to ignore his mood.

Sesshomaru's mouth opened momentarily, but before even a single sound came out, a group of servants interrupted him with the second course. They shuffled, close to the ground with the trays raised up in steady hands.

Kagome looked down at her plate and smiled. _Yaki Onigiri_ sat surrounded with pickled vegetables and a pretty blue flower rested at the top of her plate. A single drop of water trembled delicately on a perfect green leaf representing the spring that was arriving unsteadily.

A gorgeous woman with the stripes of a tiger and ears to match stepped out from behind a shoji screen with an instrument. She began playing a soothing melody that Kagome was immediately sucked into.

As they finished their dinner, Kagome folded her napkin expertly and placed it back on the table. She placed the chopsticks back in the wooden holder she had found them in and scooted herself back a bit on the comfortable plush cushion.

Suddenly, before she could blink, Sesshomaru was inches away from her. His hand on the floor by her left shoulder, his body supported sturdily over hers.

Her breath caught in her throat as she found herself instantly on the floor. _It can wait a bit longer…_ thought Sesshomaru as he watched the beauty underneath him tremble in fear.

"Would you like a tour around the castle?" was the excuse he used for the close proximity…although he needed no excuse, he reprimanded his beast. Kagome nodded numbly in response to his question and, as they returned to a sitting position, he offered her his hand. Cautiously, almost hesitantly, she took it.

Sesshomaru led her around the entirety of the castle he loved, giving her a clipped version of an explanation for each room. He was unsure of how to handle the situation. Kagome simply smiled, nodded and attempted to store away every room for later in her head.

After a few hours, they entered the final door of the western wing of the castle. As the Western Lord, he would be staying in this room. Even the sliding doors seemed more regal than the rest of the castle.

As they slid open underneath his sure hand, she held her breath, unsure of what awaited her on the other side of the door.

Kagome blinked twice, confused. The room looked extremely similar to the one she was in-they were only a single door away from each other, but she still expected something entirely different.

On one wall, there was a large tapestry that hung from ceiling to floor with an image of the same beautiful woman in the room Kagome stayed in.

The woman's pure white hair hung, much like the other, in long, erratic tendrils over her slim shoulders. Her pulchritudinous body was covered with the finest silk robe. The robe she adorned had the blue crescent moon-the symbol of the Western lands on the obi.

She was even more stunning in this painting in the silver silk than she had been even in the other painting.

Sesshomaru noticed Kagome staring at the painting on the wall and smiled slightly. "That was my mother. She was beautiful, was she not?" Kagome jumped at the sound of his voice and turned to him with a wistful look on her face. "Yes." She said without hesitation.

Kagome thought for a moment and said, "She looks exactly like you." Kagome let free a goofy grin and a slight giggle. Sesshomaru blushed and turned toward the picture on the wall. "That is the first I have been told that…"

Sesshomaru had not blushed in hundreds of years. The moment she smiled at him like that, it had melted his icy features. She was beginning to thaw the ice around his frozen heart.

She studied him. Even she could sense a slight change in the demon's feelings. It was very small, but it was there. She slowly tiptoed closer to him. Was it worth trying? She had these feelings she simply could not repress any longer…

A light touch on his shoulder turned him around, expectantly to face her. He simply had not expected her to be as close to him…

A slender finger traced his jaw line and the bright crimson stripes on his cheeks. His eyes widened momentarily, but he refused to move away. He was obviously startled, but not nearly as startled as she was when he leaned into her touch. A strong arm moved around her waist and she realized that they may work. There may be a chance. He may be the one.

She looked up at him with tears forming in her eyes. He wondered what could make her so sad. Suddenly she took one of her hands off of his face and placed it on his armless shoulder. He sighed. "I am so sorry." She said as a tear ran down her cheek. He took his arm from her waste and gently brushed her tear away.

Suddenly a pink light engulfed both of them and he lashed out at her, missing by inches, blinded by the light. As suddenly as it had come, the pink color was gone- just a flash. He looked strait ahead, waiting for his sensitive eyes to clear up.

He knew he was not hurt and she was not dead, but as she collapsed in his arms, suddenly nothing was okay. He picked her up easily in his strong arms and sniffed her. No damage. She was simply exhausted.

Kagome could barely keep her eyes open. She smiled at him despite herself, and he pulled her close to him. He stared at her thoughtfully for a moment before realizing that he was holding her with both arms.

He gaped at her sleeping form. She was truly that powerful? He sat on his bed for a moment to gather himself before deciding that he should take her to her own bed chambers to sleep.

Lifting up the tapestry on his far wall, he found a sliding door that led directly to her room. The futon was rolled out and he slid her under the covers.

In that moment, he could no longer deny the absolute fact that she was interesting to him. He had feelings for her-unquestionably. But was it love he felt toward her?

Completely confused, he left the room as the light from the fireplace reflected on her perfect face and he found himself inside of his study.

He sat in his office for hours wondering if she was the one for him. He did not come up with a final answer; instead he dozed off in his seat and woke as the first rays of the sun hit his gallant face.

A new day had come. What this one would hold for him, he would not know, but he was looking forward to finding out.

With a small effort, Sesshomaru got up out of the chair he had been sleeping in and moved to the soft bed. A few more hours of sleep sounded good to him.

He was so tired that he didn't even notice the pair of chocolate colored eyes watching him from the doorway. This would indeed be an interesting day.

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A/N: Well, here's the revised version of chapter 4. I hope you guys enjoyed it I'm going to combine the review responses for chapters two and three since I put them up at the same time without waiting for reviews.

Yusukekuramagirl: Well there you have it-the beginning of a relationship.

Kaidaia The Run Away Advent: Thanks. Here you go! :D

cowgirlkitten2000: Thanks so much.

Nekoinukid: Yay! Thanks!

Tipix: lol, I do that too. It makes it more fun! Uhm, in this one, those are just demon markings. Lol. I don't want Sesshou-sama to be too girly…

Sesshomaru's Filly: Ah…it does? I'm sorry. Point out the part and I'll change it if you would like. I should read your fanfic then..

Yuki Asao: I loved those details too… you picked out the very ones I put the most time into. Lol. Glad you liked it.

Perkily-Hally: Sweet! Thanks!

Sali-Hime: Haha…yeah…check the top. This is a fifteen or so chapter story. It's not done. Sorry. I just changed the "Complete" thing. Hah, sorry…


	5. Molten

Yeah

Here's the revised version of Chapter Five. I hope you are enjoying the add-ins and the revisions.

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Kagome stood motionless, completely shocked that she was still alive. Sesshomaru moved gracefully to a large, lavish bed and slowly pulled the tie from his _Haori_. He let the silky fabric fall to the floor like a waterfall in slow motion and she blushed.

She had seen Inuyasha without a shirt before, but it had never done this to her. She could feel blood rushing through her veins and swore that he could at least hear that, if not her pounding heartbeat that sounded like drums in a tribal festival.

Two maroon stripes caressed his hips with a soft, curved touch and disappeared into his _hakama_, which was slowly sliding down his hips.

He slid _the hakama_ to the floor in the same careless manner he had displayed for his _haori_. Kagome was sure that he was just teasing her now, however odd the thought of Sesshomaru teasing was.

Only a thin layer of fabric covered him, just enough so that she could see his fine ass and perfectly sculpted abs. With a pool of clothes on the floor, she watched as he pulled back the sheets on the bed.

Just as she was about to turn to leave, she felt her foot scuff the floor. His face suddenly turned towards the door and he began walking slowly towards her.

With each step he took, she took two back until she found herself flush against a wall on the opposite side of the very large hallway.

The door slid the rest of the way open and she found the demon lord on the other side. Kagome could feel her body shaking and her heart pounding. Could he smell her arousal? Her want? Her need? She knew at that moment that she needed this gorgeous man in front of her.

Not simply because his looks were far superior to those of anyone else's, but because of his uncharacteristic kindness towards her, the fact that he really wasn't a bad person, and the fact that she had found that goodness inside of him. She could almost see it, shining bright as a jewel shard from his heart.

She was in love.

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Sesshomaru stared at the girl plastered to the wall almost incredulously. Was she really trying to spy on him? He could almost laugh. Almost. Every breath in was torture with her there.

He could smell the spike of her arousal and it sent chills down his body every step nearer to it he was. Normally, this scent would turn him off-make him bloodthirsty.

He would normally just kill whoever found him so desirable, but this woman spun his world, mad him want something he had never experienced desire from. He wanted her; of that he was sure.

A woman stood there, staring at him with no more fear than someone of his own ranks, simply admiration and the need of a lover. This strong girl, this unwittingly beautiful girl could be his.

He could hold this strength, beauty, this kindness close to him. He could rule beside her. This was the first thought of such things he had ever had and he was sure. It was her.

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Sesshomaru reached a perfect hand toward her and she glanced into his eyes which were swirling pools of molten gold that showed feelings she never thought she would see. She saw want, need and happiness in her eyes along with something that she wouldn't dare to call love.

She let her hand wander toward him and her fingers curled around his large hand. He suddenly swept her into a heated embrace and she gasped at the sudden movement.

She was in his arms, his form curled as close to hers as their bodies would allow and his free hand brushed against her soft, porcelain cheek.

"I want you," he whispered in her ear. She shuddered and he brushed some stray hair out of her face. Kagome stared into his swirling, glowing eyes and she leaned up on her toes to meet his lips half way.

As their eyes closed and their lips hovered centimeters apart from each other, the door burst open, revealing the little toad demon, the retainer.

"M'LORD! THE GIRL HAS GONE MISS…" Jaken's eyes widened to the point they looked as though they were going to pop out of his head and he began to slowly back up. "I guess you know where she is… I'll be leaving now." Jaken turned and slid the door closed, scuttling as fast as he could out of hearing range.

Sesshomaru knew now that he loved her. He had never lost himself in anyone before and had never felt so strongly for a person since the death of his mother years before.

She was everything he would ever want or need and he would stop denying it. He had to go about taking her slowly, though. He wanted her to love him as much as he felt for her before he did anything. Before he marked her as his.

He didn't want to force herself, and although they were both obviously aroused, he would wait. He sighed and let go of her, taking a tentative step backwards, he bowed to her and left her standing in the center of the room to think.

He would gain her trust, move slowly. He would do this right.

He slowly walked over to her, planning his motions carefully. He reached out a clawed hand and touched her velvety soft cheek. He was surprised once again at how soft her skin was.

Playing his lithe fingers through her silky hair, he followed her jaw line down until he was at her chin. He traced her lips with his thumb, and then he raised her head so she was looking him in the eyes.

"Please, go back to your chambers and get some sleep." Kagome nodded, letting her eyes open slightly to glance at his perfect features, and turned to go.

She got half way to the door before stopping, turning around and flashing a brilliant smile once again at him. He could feel his cheeks light up and she advanced on him again.

She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him tenderly on the lips. Her cheeks were now tainted pink as well, and he didn't think that he could hold off any longer.

He grabbed her waist and wrapped her in his embrace. He kissed her hungrily and she took no time to think before kissing him back with just as much ferocity..

Sesshomaru could feel himself slipping away, and he could not let that happen. He would not betray her trust. He needed her to tell him that she needed him, wanted him…loved him, before he was willing to take her.

He desperately pulled away. She moaned at the loss of warmth and looked at him confusedly. Sesshomaru didn't know how to explain what had just happened. He just shook his head. She must have gotten the point because she smiled at him and took a step backwards.

Kagome bowed low and thanked him for a wonderful evening and she would see him later that morning. "No, thank you. If it weren't for you, I would still only have one arm." He whispered so that she could barely hear. She smiled at him and told him that it was easier and better to hug with two arms.

Sesshomaru then told her that breakfast was in an hour and a half. If she wanted to, now would be a good time for a bath. She smiled and left the room to find her bath.

As she left, a small smile came over Sesshomaru's stoic features. He had formulated a plan. It was a good thing that her baths and his were connected, or this would have never worked.

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Words:

_Haori:_ The top part of a more formal kimono. This is the shirt portion.

_Hakama:_ The pants in a more formal type of Kimono. These were wrapped around the waist over the Haori to secure the garment in place.

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A/N: Haha, well I still like the ending, and even though he is trying to woo her, I think having him do this scene in the next chapter is really quite entertaining. I can't wait to revise the next chapter and put it up. Hope you guys enjoy it

SayaHaji1648: I'm really glad you like it. Here's the update.

Sesshomaru's Filly: Alright. I'm glad you like how it's turning out.

Nekoinukid: Here you go!

Yuki Asao: As am I. The next chapter, I'll make sure is super detailed.

Kit-hime: Aww, thanks! You are so sweet. Here's the next chapter. Hope you like it as much.

JenKonoha: Hm, I'm not quite sure, really. It shouldn't take too long. I have about eight or nine chapters left so, maybe a week to two weeks? Maybe a little longer, but not much.


	6. Bath

Chapter six is up

Here's chapter six. Changing a little of it. Hope you like the changes and the chapter, for those of you who are reading this for the first time.

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Kagome stepped into the hot water, slowly letting the steam sink in as she thought over the happenings of earlier that morning. The swirling steam made a sauna-like effect and she could feel a couple beads of sweat break on her forehead.

She thought back to Sesshomaru. She could not tell if she was in love, or if she simply saw Inuyasha in him and cringed at the thought. She did feel something for him, though, and she was willing to explore exactly what she felt.

As she pondered, she became so caught up in her thoughts that she began to feel the world melting away from her. She registered no sound, scent, sight or feeling besides that of the water lapping against her bare skin and the face of Sesshomaru clouding her already confused mind.

She was so caught up that she didn't even notice as door on the opposite side of the spring open and shut with a light thud and a tall figure stepped into the steam filled room.

Soon enough, the figure was in the water and out of her line of sight even had she wanted to see. As the water rose a bit more and licked lightly at her breasts, she snapped out of her thoughts.

She had not realized earlier that there were two springs in this single space, only able to see until the water she idled in hit a rock with beautiful bamboo shoots coming from behind it.

At first, she had surmised that it was the end of the room, but as the water rose slightly, she realized that it might be a separate chamber.

What she had not realized, however, was that underneath the rock, at the edge of the pool, there was a rather large gap that allowed entrance to the opposite spring.

Kagome's head snapped up as she suddenly felt a presence underneath the water that she did not want to be near in her state of dress and turned her back to grab the towel she left at the edge of the pool.

As her hand slid against the soft fabric a slight splash shook the frail glass surface of the water and Kagome swirled around as fast as she could manage and came face to face with a hungry looking taiyoukai.

Shocked, she made a small squeaking sound, and buried her face in her towel. She didn't realize until too late that it was her body she had meant to cover.

Until his hands had found her waist, she had not realized exactly how _naked_ she was; how naked _he_ was. At that moment, she let the corners of her towel slip around her shoulders and tumble lightly into the water to cover her voluptuous breasts.

Sesshomaru had come to the conclusion that he would see what he felt for this firey maiden; he would test the waters and see what she felt as well. He would no longer wait for her to make the first move. He could barely restrain himself.

He knew that he had more than simple interest for her, because he had not ripped her apart or simply taken her on the spot. He had restraint and planned on spending time speaking and snuggling after taking her.

He knew that his beast had her marked as his mate from the very start, and because he watched her and saw what she was capable of, he began to feel that Kagome would suit him perfectly as a mate.

She would not be afraid to put him in his place and tell him when he was wrong. She could soothe the beast roaring in his head. He wanted her. Only she, Kagome, would do as his mate.

Sesshomaru pulled her tight against his body, feeling her breasts flush against his chest, her slightly labored breathing pressing them sensually against his skin. Her small hands were placed directly on his muscled chest and she stared up at him with a confused expression that said more than words could.

"I…" he began, unsure of how to tell her of his revelation. He decided that he would tell her in due time. "I want you…" he almost purred into her ear.

The sound of his gravely voice sent a chill down her spine and she slid even closer to him in the murky water. Kagome wanted him as well.

Standing on tiptoes, she lay a kiss on his masculine chin, the sharp bristles of his freshly shaven face felt like sandpaper on her lips and she loved it.

Sesshomaru closed his eyes as she kissed his neck and collar bone, a loud, rumbling purr echoing off of the slick stone walls of the room. He was biding his time, waiting for a slip in her attentions.

She would be his mate. Of that he was sure. The other thing he was absolutely positive of was the fact that the beautiful woman ravaging his body would not object to the idea of being his mate.

At that though, he snapped and tightened his hold around her, needing as much of her as he could manage to obtain. Need and passion like a wild flame burned him inside as he crushed his lips to hers.

A throaty moan escaped his throat as he took in her scent. In return, Sesshomaru was rewarded with a pair of small arms wrapping securely around his neck, pulling him down to her.

Kagome tangled her fingers in his dripping wet hair and pulled his head closer, getting as much a taste of him as she possibly could.

As they broke for air, Kagome studied his perfectly defined face. Twin maroon stripes adorned each cheek and covered his eyelids marking him as nobility. The crescent on his forehead, she could only guess, marked him as Lord of the West.

She released his hair and traced the markings on his face, the line of his jaw, the perfect lips and nose, finally running her finger over the perfect point of his ear. At that, he shivered and tightened his grip on her momentarily. She knew that she could never feel for anyone else as she felt for him, Inuyasha completely forgotten.

She had never felt so safe as she did in the arms of the man she loved. Blushing at the though, she immediately looked down. An even deeper blush adorned her face as she finally _saw_ the size of what had been pressing against her inner thigh…

She had never seen a penis before and she was horrified at the thought that something that large was supposed to fit into her. She barely had time to gawk when a large, maroon striped hand slid up her body and gripped her breast, which bulged out of the clawed hand that held her tenderly.

A happy mewl escaped her lips as he caressed the soft flesh and leaned down to join their lips once again. Kagome raised her arms to wrap around her waist. She would worry about the rest at a different time.

She was not prepared to give herself to Sesshomaru completely yet and Kagome believed that he knew as much. As though right on que, Sesshomaru pulled back, holding her at armslength. He smiled down at her and kissed her one more time, heatedly taking her taste to memory.

Kagome watched as he turned from her to exit the pool area and, losing all form of embarrassment, watched him pull a towel from the pile of silky towels and dry himself off. She watched as he wrapped the towel around his waist and turn to exit the room.

Just as he met the door, he turned to glance longingly back at her once more before sliding open the door and disappearing behind it. Kagome stared after him and already yearned for his touch once again. Deciding she should also retire to her chambers to dress, Kagome stepped daintily out of the murky water.

As she stepped out of the mineral bath, she wrapped a towel around herself and went into her room to pick a kimono. Kagome pulled at the fabric, finding one she liked.

She eventually settled on a lovely green and pink kimono with a light crane pattern and green trees. The plain cream colored background made the kimono look absolutely elegant against her pale skin.

With help from a female servant who refused to speak with her, Kagome was prepared for breakfast within fifteen minutes. The beautiful pink _obi_ hugged her waist and the pink dangling hair ornaments decorated her hair jingled as she walked toward the dining room.

As Kagome stepped lightly into the dining area to find Sesshomaru and Rin already situated at their normal spots, she could not hide the smile that threatened to break through her thoughtful features.

She was sure that she loved him at this point and decided to get to know him a little bit better so that she could give herself to him completely. Kagome prepared herself, steeled her features and stepped into the room.

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A/N: Here's the next chapter. I really hope you guys like it. I'm sorry it took so damn long to update, but it seemed that every time I attempted to continue writing, something distracting happened. I'll try to get the next one up soon as well.

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Words:

_Obi:_ The belt used to tie together the formal Kimono.

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ObSeSsEd WiTh ROXAS: Thanks for the review. Yes, yes. Very naughty. Hehe…

InufefiNogara199: Thanks! I'm glad you like it.

Nekoinukid: You are so sweet XD thanks!

Sesshomaru's Filly: Sorry for the wait. Glad you liked it!

SayaHaji1648: Thanks! Here's the update!

EternalVampress: I didn't quite understand that one…but I think that warrents a thanks.

Kit-hime: I woulda practically killed him myself. Hah, yeah. I'm glad you liked it. Here's more fluffy sweetness, with much more on the way. I may add another chapter to add some clarity that wasn't in the original. Hope you enjoy it!

Heathurrbear Loves Sesshomaru: Thanks! Here's the update!

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I thank you all for reading and reviewing. You are all so sweet. I really appreciate your comments and feedback. Hope all's well.


	7. Taken

Here's chapter seven

Here's chapter seven revised.

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In the dining area, the normally delicious food seemed to taste even better in her wonderful mood. Although she refused to look up, Kagome could feel her lord's eyes piercing through her; staring openly, blatantly at her.

Nothing seemed to matter but those scorching, molten eyes that were fixated on her, and in a moment of sheer insanity Kagome lifted her chin to meet his heated gaze.

Immediately, she was trapped within his gaze and unable to make any movement or sound. Everything around her went black and she could see nothing but Sesshomaru, bathed in an odd light that made his naturally graceful features look ethereal.

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On the opposite side of the intense gaze, Sesshomaru found himself in a similar situation. He found himself floating on a dark cloud in a blackness he had never before experienced and there she was, bathed in an odd, surreal light.

He found that he was unable to look away from her; even if only for a moment, so entranced was he with her beauty. Finally, after every incident that had occurred in the past few days, Sesshomaru could no longer deny his _**love**_ for her.

He had been sure before that he desired her, but finally he gave into his beast and allowed himself to love her completely. He was no longer ashamed of the idea of loving a _ningen_. This _ningen_ was strong and deserved his respect.

Moody caramel colored eyes looked out of the castle window. It was raining; a heavy fog set over the land making it look magestic. 'The perfect weather,' he thought. It was truly a beautiful morning. Sesshomaru was glad to share one such morning with his love and his ward.

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After breakfast was over, Kagome had decided that she should lay down. Since the middle of breakfast, her body had been bothering her. She could not seem to get comfortable. She felt as though her body was going through growing pains all over again, except this time it was all over her body.

She slipped into the library that she was able to find with the help of Makoto and pulled an interesting looking book. Once more, Kagome asked Makoto to escort her to the room she occupied within the castle and settled herself on the futon that was awaiting her on the floor.

As the light grew dim, Kagome's eyelids seemed as though they adorned lead weights. Fighting with her inner clock, she struggled to stay awake and finish the book she was reading. It was quite the interesting read; speaking of the different demon bonds and relations.

As she reached a page that was particularly interestingly titled, her eyes slid closed for the last time and her head dropped back to the pillow, asleep before her head even touched the silky, fluffy surface.

The sliding shoji door in the far corner of the room was open a crack, allowing the scent of the rain to swirl lazily around the room, and, with an especially strong gust of air, the book on Kagome's lap flipped pages.

As the young miko dreamt of the gorgeous demon lord in the room next door, the fluttering pages stuttered as the gust subsided, and fell open to the page titled "_The Relations Between Youkai and Miko"._

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Every day, the pain in Kagome's body seemed to strengthen as she weakened. At one point, she could barely stand and had to crawl into the _onsen_. She began taking meals in her room, for it took far too much effort to move to the dining room.

At times, Rin and Sesshomaru even dined with her on plush pillows in her own chambers. Every night, Kagome was able to eat less and less.

Although Sesshomaru ordered for doctors, human, miko and _youkai, _to assess her situation, none could come up with a proper diagnosis. Nothing seemed wrong with the young miko. She seemed perfectly healthy, and they all insisted it would simply take time and she would improve.

After a week or so of immense pain, weight loss and constant sleep, Kagome began to show signs of progress. She was gaining energy, eating more, gaining weight and smiling more often.

Only three weeks after the strange incident occurred, Kagome was able to walk again without too much pain. Taking baths regularly seemed to help the now dull ache in her muscles.

Kagome found, as she began feeling better, certain things changed in her body; she wasn't simply _feeling _better, she was_ becoming_ better. As before, Kagome had very little strength, and found that as she regained her health, her she regained far more strength than had left her.

She found that many other functions had improved as well. Her hearing, sight, sense of taste and touch as well as her ability to judge depth, distance, emotion, the ability to withstand heat and cold and many others far surpassed what they had been before falling ill.

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After another two weeks judging just what her body could do, Kagome sat comfortably on her futon, the shoji windows to the outdoors as well as the door were wide open.

The book she had been reading almost two months earlier before falling ill sat delicately in her hand, the pages making strained crinkling noises as she turned them, careful not to rip the aged paper.

As she read, her interest in the book piqued as she noticed that there was documented relations between youkai and miko. Kagome wondered idly if she would be one of those people who experienced such relations.

She had read through the entire book to this point and was now well versed on the meanings of different bonds and actions demons took with those they loved. She had learned about scenting and marking with scent, about marks of love, marriage, friendship and kinship.

Kagome knew how a youkai was to act around one they loved and what actions were signs for feelings. She noted that demons could spend centuries getting to know each other before beginning to court, although the acception was with miko. Because a miko was, essentially, a human, the youkai had less time to make its move.

The book in her hand slammed to the floor in a fit of rage. She had forgotten that she would die centuries before Sesshomaru, leaving him alone. She wondered if he had noted this.

Out of the castle door that lead to the gardens, she found a balcony. Kagome had imagined that she would have her own, personal garden, but what she came upon was much grander.

Looking from the balcony, Kagome found a vast garden spread below her. There were rows and rows of grand cherry trees, Irises that seemed to grow along the gurgling stream that snaked its way through the garden and a variety of roses, which were rare in Japan at the time.

Kagome thought back to the month earlier when she had been ambushed in the _onsen_ and smiled. The memory of how he had felt against her made her stomach swirl with butterflies and desire. She had not made a move for him since then because of the sickness.

After the sickness subsided, however, she wondered if all of those memories were simply a precious dream she had come up with to please herself while sick. Suddenly, a sharp breeze carried the sweet scent of the roses to her nose and the desire she had felt turned into a yearning she had never felt before.

Kagome thought for only a split second before simply leaping over the balcony that, in her time, would be at least four stories off the ground. A gasp was heard in the background as she landed smoothly on the soft soil below her.

Glancing at her surroundings, Kagome wondered at her new strength and noticed that she had not hurt even one part of herself in the slightest. She grinned and was glad that she had simply acted upon instinct instead of questioning herself at the top.

She would not have been able to do it otherwise. At that moment, she realized that she had gained much more power from her strange sickness than she could have ever fathomed obtaining earlier in her life.

The garden was all she had hoped for it to be from the top of the balcony, and more. She found herself wandering through rows and rows of roses. Each was a row was a different color, a different type, and the scent wafted to her on the wind.

Soon, weeping willow trees, and sakura surrounded her. She looked around the deserted garden and found herself so surrounded that she could not figure out exactly where she had come from.

Completely lost, Kagome decided to climb the tallest tree she could find to see if she could find her way back.

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An eager maid called out his name, but he was busy. Doing his best to ignore the maid, Sesshomaru continued scribbling his signature on the obvious documents and reading through the ones that needed the most attention.

Finally, after about five minutes of incessant questioning, Sesshomaru gave up ignoring the annoying maid and allowed her to enter. Sesshomaru could barely understand her when she began to babble, for she was speaking too fast and he asked her to slow down and repeat.

"She'sfallenoutofthewindow! Fallenoutofthebalconywindow!! What should we do? I don't know if she is alive! I saw her fall, Milord!"

Sesshomaru immediately jumped off of the pillow he had been situated on and, before she could blink, the Lord of the West had vanished into thin air. The maid, who had swirling, chaotic lilac purple eyes smiled knowingly before exiting the room.

XxXxXxXxXx

More frightened than he had been in years, Sesshomaru rushed to the room he had given to Kagome and burst through the door. She, indeed, was nowhere to be found. He raced to the balcony and simply flung himself over the edge, crashing noisily to the ground.

He looked around to the place where she fell and only found a pair of deep footprints in the muddy soil. Sesshomaru took a deep breath of air, hoping to find her through the scent she carried.

Her scent was completely individual-she smelled like lilacs in the rain; a scent that was so tantalizing he could barely keep his control when he was around her. Sesshomaru separated himself from the rest of the world the moment her sweet scent reached his nose and he took off, top speed after it.

XxXxXxXxXx

Kagome was now completely drenched, as was the delicate _yukata_ that she was clothed in. It stuck to her body and inhibited her climbing. Eventually, she decided it was too annoying and ripped the wet fabric off just above the knees so she could continue to climb.

As she reached the highest branch that looked capable of supporting her weight, Kagome pushed aside the long tendrils of branches as they dangled in her face. The tallest tree seemed to be about half the size of the castle-a graceful, old weeping cherry tree.

The flowers that had open that day were large and beautiful and Kagome found that she felt particularly at home when she looked at this ancient tree. She caressed the branch she sat on lovingly and thanked the tree for allowing her to use it's branches for support and it's leaves for cover.

As she looked over the vast expanse of the garden, she spotted the castle far off in the distance, shrouded in mist and beautiful rain. The long tendrils of her hair clung to her face and water dripped from her chin and clung to her eyelashes.

Kagome could not make herself move to head back to the castle. She was so comfortable, so happy burrowed into the secure branches of the tree. All she could hear was the whistle of the wind and the sound of the rain until a painful sounding crash echoed through her head.

Snapping up, Kagome slid to the edge of her branch to once again look over the garden. Was that thunder? Seeing nothing, she satisfied herself in deciding that she had simply been hearing thunder.

Her back once again the trunk of the tree, Kagome rested her head on the slick bark and smiled at herself, happy she had found this place. It was something of a haven to her now. She knew, if anything bad happened, she would be able to come to this place.

Completely content, Kagome began to sing a song she remembered vividly from her time; CASCADA's soft version of Every Time we Touch, thinking back on Sesshomaru and wrapping her powers around her voice. Her voice rang out loud through the landscape, stopping almost anything in its path to listen to the enchanting melody.

XxXxXxXxXx

Sesshomaru searched frantically, bounding over large trees following her scent. His sight was tinted red at the edges of his vision and he was battling against his beast. He was in need of her, desperate need of her.

Just at the point that Sesshomaru felt that he would go mad if he did not have her for one more second, he heard a high, velvety voice floating to him from somewhere close and he stopped dead in his tracks to listen to it.

I still hear your voice when you sleep next to me

_I still feel your touch in my dreams_

_Forgive me my weakness, but I don't know why_

_Without you, it's hard to survive_

_And every time we touch, I get this feeling_

_And every time we kiss, I swear I could fly_

_Can't you feel my heart beat fast?_

_I want this to last_

_Want you by my side_

_And every time we touch, I feel the static_

_And every time we kiss, I reach for the sky_

_Can't you hear my heart beat so_

_I can't let you go_

_Want you in my life_

Sesshomaru could feel the breath leave him at the beauty of her voice and couldn't help but follow, not only the scent of his love, but the wonderful sound she was making as well.

With every step, his heartbeat accelerated and he prepared himself to meet her again and take her in his arms. He knew that he should let her go first, but he had been so afraid to lose her…

Once again, he stopped dead in his tracks as the sound stopped momentarily and started again.

Your arms are my castle

_Your heart is my sky_

_They wipe away tears that I cry_

_The good and the bad times, we've been through them all_

_You make me rise when I fall_

'_Cause every time we touch, I get this feeling_

_And every time we kiss, I swear I could fly_

_Can't you feel my heart beat fast,_

_I want this to last_

_Want you by my side_

_And every time we touch, I feel this static_

_And every time we kiss, I reach for the sky_

_Can't you feel my heart beat so_

_I can't let you go_

_Want you in my life_

_Every time we touch, I get this feeling_

_Every time we kiss, I swear I could fly_

_Can't you feel my heart beat fast?_

_I want this to last_

_Need you by my side_

And every time we touch, I feel this static

_And every time we kiss, I reach for the sky_

_Can't you feel my heart beat so_

_I can't let you go_

_Need you in my life_

As the song closed, Sesshomaru found that both sound and scent had led him to his mother's weeping cherry tree-her pride and joy when she had been alive. He ducked under the long branches that fell to the grass and looked for her at the base of the tree.

She was nowhere to be seen and he began to panic again. Her scent was all over this place, there was no way she could be anywhere else. Just then, a rustle overhead made him look up to find chocolate brown eyes staring down at him with a shocked expression.

Immediately, Sesshoamru leapt the distance between himself and his love, finding her still farther than he could bear. Her small arm extended and a perfect hand reached out to caress his face.

Sesshomaru questioned her feelings for him only momentarily-the thought completely evaporated at the complete shock of having her lips pressed to his so forcefully without him moving an inch.

Her small arms wrapped determinedly around his neck and pulled him in close, and he was more than happy to oblige. As they pulled away for air, they searched the firey eyes of the other and noted that there was no hesitation from either of them.

Sesshomaru pulled Kagome into his lap, allowing her drenched _Yukata _to cling to his own soaking wet _Hakama._ Wrapping his strong arms around her, he leapt high out of the tree and directly toward the castle. His bound got him just to the castle wall before he took another leap up to the balcony next to the one she had jumped from.

XxXxXxXxXx

Kagome found herself in a new room with modest decoration, but a lavish western bed covered in silken pillows. Kagome gasped at the simple beauty of the room and walked around, admiring as much as she could before Sesshomaru stepped in front of her.

She looked up to see a pair of burning eyes that bored into her. Kagome froze, entranced.

"I want you…" was the only thing he could get out without completely losing control of the beast within him. A beautiful blush colored her cheeks as she stared up at him, wide eyed.

It seemed as though time dragged on for forever as he waited for her reply. Finally, Kagome nodded slowly and opened those beautiful lips. "Please, take me then." Sesshomaru scooped her up in his masculine arms and laid her softly on the bed.

"I am to be your first?" It wasn't a question, but Kagome nodded anyway for good measure. She was afraid. Afraid of the pain that she was sure to hit her like a ton of bricks, but she pushed those fears aside and focused on the love she felt for the demon that had placed himself over her.

A searing kiss lit her on fire, and she knew that the pain would be worth it; that she would be with the man she loved tonight. First, he straddled her, their clothes soaking through the fine silken sheets.

Sesshomaru pulled at the tie of her _yukata_ and it slipped off effortlessly. He tossed it over his shoulder and it landed directly in front of the fire. He did the same for her _yukata_, his _hakama _and_ haori_.

Kagome was left with only her nude lace panties and Sesshomaru with something akin to "Tarzan", the thought making her giggle even in a situation such as this.

Slowly, his hand reached for the lace covering her most precious spot and a pang of fear ran through her body. He stopped as he smelled the fear radiate suddenly off of her and nothing mattered but her comfort. If she was afraid, he would go no farther.

Kagome was ready, she was sure. There would always be some sort of fear, though. It was now or never, and she was prepared now. Kagome motioned him off of her, and all too easily he complied.

She sat up and ran a delicate hand through her hair as he stared at her, completely embarrassed with himself. Kagome glanced over at Sesshomaru and saw the apologetic look he was giving her, and shook her head.

Just as Sesshomaru was about ready to stand and take a bath to cool his nerves, Kagome sat strait up on her knees and slid her hands sensually down her own body. A fire began at his fingertips and ran throughout his body quickly, ending at the tip of his partially softened member.

Her fingers looped around the sides of the skin colored panties and slid them slowly down her legs, revealing a triangle of perfect black curls. Sesshomaru stiffened and battled against his raging beast that was roaring to take her.

XxXxXxXxXx

To her complete dismay, the little trick she used didn't seem to work, and now she was completely embarrassed and sitting awkwardly on the bed across from him.

Her knees were suddenly very interesting and she decided to stare at them while he stared at her. No man had seen her naked before, and she was prepared to swear off of men for the rest of her life when she heard a shifting in the soft sheets.

Kagome looked up and gasped. Sesshomaru sat almost perfectly still, only his fingers slightly twitching every now and again. His eyes were blazing brighter than before, almost glowing as red fought with golden yellow.

Kagome slipped closer to him and stared at those eyes that seemed to see nothing. She leaned to him and whispered in his ear, "I am afraid, Sesshomaru. There is no one who would not be. I will be afraid, but I am ready. I want you. Please, let yourself go and take me, but be careful. I do not know…" at this she blushed, "how to do this."

With her words, Sesshomaru gave in to his beast who, surprisingly did not take control, but allowed them to be active in the body at the same time; reason mingled with desire and passion.

Sesshomaru slipped his arm around her, his eyes now an orange color, and lay her on her back on the bed, discarding the last piece of clothing that covered his body. Once again, Kagome marveled at the size of his member and questioned his sanity in thinking that he could fit that inside of her.

With a passionate kiss, Sesshomaru ran his hands across her body and allowed their skin to make contact. He ran kisses along her neck, and her lips, swollen from the onslaught of kisses parted to allow a light, breathy moan escape.

Sesshomaru felt the shiver of pleasure at her moans spiral down to his penis, which twitched with need. The moment his lips sought her collarbone, she went crazy, the scent of her arousal permiating the air.

Sesshomaru could not stop himself any more and positioned himself at her entrance. He asked her kindly to guide her in, and promised to be gentle. Before he allowed her hand to touch him however, he let a finger explore her vagina.

Quickly finding her entrance, he slipped a single finger inside of her. She was tighter than he had originally thought she would be and he pumped slowly. A slight tense of pain washed over her features before there was a slight pleasure. To enhance the pleasure, Sesshomaru sat back on his knees and slid a finger up to her clit, circling it lightly.

This action pulled a throaty moan from her lips and, in one quick movement, Sesshomaru let the nail of the finger embedded inside of her cut the virgin skin so that he would not have to break it by force upon entering.

Kagome cried out slightly in pain, completely forgetting the pleasure of the moment before and allowed a tear to slide down her cheek. Sesshomaru leaned down and kissed her.

"I promise, if you are not tense, it will not hurt so much. Please, try to relax. The pain will subside. I vow to you that this will be a pleasurable experience for you." Sesshomaru surprised Kagome slightly by allowing a very light blush color his cheeks before stating "This is my first time as well. It is new to both of us. If you are not relaxed, it makes me nervous."

Kagome was shocked that she was Sesshomaru's first, but refused to question it. She willed her body to relax and, slowly, she felt the tension in her muscles melt away. Although there was still a stinging pain, it had lessened.

Sesshomaru returned his right hand to her clit as his left hand remained with a single finger inside of her. Sesshomaru kissed her one more time and told her that he was going to attempt to insert another finger. Kagome nodded warily.

As he slid the second finger inside of her, she felt something stretch, and the fragile skin that had been severed opened a little bit more. Once again, her body tensed, waves of pain echoed back and forth in her body and she bit down on her lip to stop herself from crying.

Sesshomaru kissed her naval and ran a tongue over her belly button. She shivered through the tears and pain and Sesshomaru wondered how she could be so wet even though she was in such pain.

He waited yet again for the pain to subside before beginning to pump with both fingers and rub her clit with his right pointer finger. Slowly, Kagome became accustomed to the feeling and even began enjoying it.

Finally, Sesshomaru heard a moan escape her, and, without warning entered a third finger. She cried out once again in almost blinding pain and tears dribbled down her cheeks.

He licked the tears and kissed her. Kagome kissed back bitterly. He had promised to be gentle…

XxXxXxXxXx

Sesshomaru was so worried about her that he was completely overwhelmed. He did, however, know that three fingers would suffice. After three fingers were inserted, the pain would be minimal, and he told her this.

She seemed to accept the fact easy enough and he began pumping her again, rubbing her clit and soon enough, her body was tensed underneath him in pleasure instead of pain.

Kagome came the first time into his hand and he slipped his fingers out of her warm opening. A bit of blood covered her fragrant juices, and he slid a finger at a time into his mouth, tasting her.

She watched in awe as he licked her cum off of his hands and she began to calm down. Was that supposed to be it? He wasn't going to allow himself pleasure?

The pain, she could deal with. It was, after all, her first time, and from her friends she had heard that the first few times were the hardest, the most painful, but then it got good.

Kagome was completely bent on dealing with the pain to be with the man she loved.

Kagome sat up and winced as a fraction of the pain returned. He noticed and placed a hand behind her back to help stabilize her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a kiss, wincing this time at the taste of herself on his tongue.

Slowly, she lay back, pulling him with her. Once she was completely horizontal on the bed, Kagome let go of his neck, placed a hand around his penis, a blush painting her face red as she parted the lips of her vagina and led him to her opening, arching her back and lifting her hips slightly to accommodate him.

Sesshomaru growled at that point, and Kagome's eyes snapped up to meet his, completely afraid she had hurt him or done something wrong. Instead of meeting angry eyes, she met eyes that burned right through her with need and passion.

His hips bucked lightly against her hand and her blush spread farther down her neck and reached her ears. Kagome positioned him at her wet opening and prayed that the pain wouldn't be too overwhelming.

Sesshomaru lifted a single hand momentarily to his mouth and wet the palm with some saliva. He reached down and coated the head of his penis before sliding the tip partially inside of her, waiting for her tense body to ease.

With every inch inside of her, he would stop and wait for the pain to subside, and every inch made his twitching penis ache for more. Finally, Sesshomaru found that he was most of the way inside of her and glanced at Kagome's sweaty face.

She stared up at him, waiting for more. Sesshomaru began to slide out of her and she gasped at the sudden feeling of air being pulled out of her stomach, the emptiness left in his wake.

"Am I too tight?" She questioned innocently. "Why are you stopping? I'm ready. The pain is gone for now." Sesshomaru chucked lightly before kissing the top of her head and allowing only the tip of his penis to remain inside of her.

"I was completely in." Kagome's eyes widened in surprise and she smiled. "Did I not promise that I would do my best not to hurt you?" She could only nod.

A quick kiss before Sesshomaru began to slide himself back into her. At first, each pump hurt, but as he continued to pump faster, the feeling of pain disappeared completely and replaced itself with pleasure.

Kagome found her own hand wandering to her clit, something she had never touched for any purpose besides to itch before, and attempted to find a rythem that would feel best.

Soon enough, her moans and his mingled and Kagome neared her climax. Calling out one last time, Sesshomaru felt her momentarily tighten around his member and felt his own climax coming on.

As they climaxed together, Kagome felt the afterglow coming on first, and watched as a loud, triumphant roar exploded over her. At that moment, Kagome pulled him down to her and began kissing his neck.

At the same time, a pair of pearly white fangs grew over Sesshomaru's bottom lip. He grazed the razor sharp fangs over her snowy white skin and drew a fine line of blood.

Kagome gasped and, when his mouth covered the skin joining her neck to her shoulders, Kagome bit down on his neck to stop the surprised scream of pain.

Finally, Sesshomaru withdrew his fangs from her neck and they shrank back into his gums. Kagome had tears flowing down her face and let go of his neck, sobbing lightly. Sesshomaru lapped carefully at the blood on her neck and kissed the spot that had the bite on it.

Sesshomaru looked into her eyes, his own now completely returned to the milky caramel color. She stared back with a question in her eyes. "I am so sorry…" He began, "But, I just marked you…we are mated, and you marked me as well. Did you know what you were doing?"

Kagome's expression rose from simple confusion to blatant incomprehension. "Marked?" she asked in a timid voice. Sesshomaru sighed and slipped out of her, his head dripping with cum and a bit even flowing out of her.

Sesshomaru ignored the sensations this brought on and informed her that the bite mark on the neck was the mating mark. They were now companions for life, and if she wanted, he would oblige and take the mark away, for it could only be done within the first fourty-eight hours.

Kagome remembered back to the book she had her nose buried in and recalled reading that only true love could bind two together, and the mating bond was instinctive. Even if removed, the bond remained deep. It would simply be replaced with a bond elsewhere.

Kagome's eyes widened. She refused to leave the man she loved. She understood now what had happened and was glad it had. Kagome smiled up at him, completely confident and responded, "I love you, Sesshomaru. I would love to be your mate, if you would take me as such."

Sesshomaru's eyes flashed red momentarily before he leaned down to claim her lips. Through a quick breath, he said, "Please, be mine forever."

Sesshomaru wrapped Kagome tightly in his embrace, and both, completely exhausted, fell into a deep slumber.

Neither of them noticed the astonished marmalade eyes staring in through the cracked shoji window. The owner of the eyes knew what she had just said, but he still couldn't believe she had said it. She belonged to him, not another. He would find a way to break this bond once and for all.

As the figure bound off into the distance, making absolutely no noise, he missed the bright purple light that shone like day from the crack in the window, and the light cry as something began to change in the Western Castle.

XxXxXxXxXx

A/N: I really hope you enjoyed this installment. I worked really hard on it.

There is a poll on my profile page right now asking about which story to finish first. If you decide that you wish for this story to be finished before another story takes priority, go vote for it. The poll closes on September 8th.

XxXxXxXxXx

Kaidaia The Run Away Advent: Aww. Thanks.

ObSeSsEd WiTh ROXAS: Tehe. Indeed it was, but not as much as this. And thank you. I am obsessed with Kimonos and I thought a more realistic one would be the best option.

Itachibabe: Yeah, I was liking that part too. But, I guess this part moves a little bit faster, eh?

Merlyn1382: Once again…for those of you who don't read the entire thing of author's notes…I have _already_ completed this story, there is no chance of writer's block. I know where it's going and what is going to happen. Please, please please please please **please** read the author's notes…

Nekoinukid: Thanks!

EternalVampress: Lol, I get it now. thanks, I'm really glad you like it.

SexyDemonGirl5000: YAY! Thanks

Fk306 animelover: And there you go!

SayaHaji1648: Yay! I love that story!

BlackWidow12: Hah, yeah…again, that's because I've had this story completed and up for two years…and then I took it all down and re wrote it…so I'm re pasting everything. But thanks. I'm glad you like it…

Heathurrbear Loves Sesshomaru: Thank **you**!

MikaIkari: Tehe, yeah.

Tipix: Thanks for letting me know what Kawaii means…but…seriously…I'm not stupid. Any manga otaku would know at least the basics, if not more. I am almost fluent in Japanese…I'm glad you liked my fic…

InufefiNogara199: Lol, he's not in control any more!!

YukiAsao: Thank you. I will try to get the next chapter up soon.

Sesshomaru's Filly: Hah, yeah. I'm so glad you like it. XD dude, when are **you** going to update?! Lol.


	8. Apology

Hi there, Elvenarcher516 here.

I feel the need to explain my long absence. When I went back to school, my computer crashed and I lost all of the data from chapters 8 through 15. So I stopped writing, completely frustrated and overwhelmed. Now, years later, I am going to attempt to take on this challenge again and promise that I will get up all 15 chapters once more…even though I'm not sure how I ended this one or what happened after this point. I'll re-write it and make it better than it was before.

I will not, however, be taking down this story. I will write it under a new name in my same account and I will revise and update my chapters so that they are better and longer than they are now. I hope you all bare with me and enjoy the newly written 'A New Day Has Come' under it's new title, 'Kiss Me Slowly' (yea, a different song title). I hope to see you all there!

Sincerely,

Elvenarcher516


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